Semex has joined forces with Buitelaar and Morrisons in a Scottish calf supply chain initiative which will see calves enter the supply chain sourced from Scottish farms right through to the table.

The scheme has already seen calves come through Buitelaar’s Castle Douglas collection centre, which is based at Wallet’s Mart and operates on a fortnightly basis and Semex will be helping source top quality calves for the scheme.

Michael Dennison, national sales manager Semex UK says, “The initiative prioritises the use of first-class beef genetics on dairy cows to ensure the very start of the food chain is the best it can be.

"This initiative makes great sense for all parties involved and gives our customers the opportunity to secure a guaranteed fixed price for their in-spec calves meaning they are able to forecast their income from beef calves”.

This Scottish supply chain initiative is looking to work with more than 100 farms which Buitelaar will work with to ensure high standards of early-stage calf rearing and housing.

Adam Buitelaar, CEO, Buitelaar Group said: “The scheme is win-win; by using highly influential genetics on the dairy cow, dairy farmers benefit from easier calving, short gestations and a profitably sound animal with exceptionally good beef traits. The same scheme has been running in England for the last two years and English dairy producers have enjoyed £30-50 bonuses on standard breed prices, whilst the beef farmers receive a calf with better genetics which will grow bigger and faster.”

Renowned for producing consistent, high quality cattle in even batches, the scheme has placed in the region of 20,000 dairy beef cattle throughout the UK thus far and has since seen increased demand for Blues. Buitelaar delivered the first batch of reared calves into Scotland, to beef farmers David Delday and Son in November, 2020.

Dairy producers who sign up to the scheme will be guaranteed an annual fixed price based on an in-spec calf. A pre-agreed weekly supply of healthy calves sired by nominated Semex British Blues forms the basis of the 12-month rolling contract.